Greece hikes Acropolis fees

A tourist walks in front of the temple of the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens.

A tourist walks in front of the temple of the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens.

Published Oct 19, 2015

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Athens - It is a must-see for anyone visiting Greece – but tourists will soon find their wallets hit harder by a trip to the Acropolis, with the entry price almost doubling.

The debt-ridden Greek government announced it would increase ticket prices for ancient sites and museums to raise millions of pounds for its struggling economy.

A ticket for the Acropolis, Greece’s most popular tourist attraction, will rise from 12 euros (about R200) to 20 euros (R300).

Other attractions that were free will start to charge.

Travel agents have warned the move could affect tourism. Almost 20 million tourists visit Greece each year, ploughing millions into the country.

At the height of summer, more than 10 000 tourists — many of them British — climb up the hill to visit the 2 500-year-old Parthenon temple every day. A 12 euro ticket provides access to this and six more ancient sites around Athens. But these may now begin charging separately.

The Greek culture ministry said current charges for its world-famous attractions were “unacceptably low”.

Daily Mail

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